There have been a number of attempts to improve the ambience in an interior space, such as by providing various types of dispensers for releasing fragrances, for altering lighting to be more pleasing or to enhance mood.
Lighting has been combined with devices such as air fresheners or air deodorizers, which may also include the release of compounds such as fragrances and essential oils. Other products which combine lighting effects with fragrance release may include scented candles, plug-in fragrance dispensers, and the like. While these devices may foster a more pleasant environment, there are a number of drawbacks, such as the need to rely on a flame, or uneven scent distribution, too strong initially, running to too weak as the volatiles are removed. Another is that they generally come with a fixed fragrance, and do not allow a user to switch easily to another fragrance. Also, plug-in dispensers require that an outlet be used with the fragrance released often in a less accessible location, with the amount of lighting being quite limited, typically being only used as a night light.
Some air sterilizing devices are known, for example as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,332,140 and 5,874,050, both of which were invented by the applicant of the present application. In these devices, air flows by convention through heated capillaries which destroy microorganisms at high temperatures. While such air sterilizers are effective in treating contaminated air, it would be desirable to combine features supporting air sterilization with aspects of aromatherapy, or possibly for use in dispensing insecticides or insect repellants in country infested by mosquitos, and also chromo therapy, and to perform at least one of those extra functions in a single device.
There is also a need to provide remote control of the dispensing of substances within the home, while the home is not occupied via remote control, particularly in countries infested by mosquito transmitting diseases such as “dengue”. It would be advantageous to provide a remotely operated system to release insecticides to kill mosquitoes before entering a specific room in the house or even before entering the house from outside with the advantage of safely entering the ambiance without the inconvenience of inhaling the insecticides. This provides the benefit of knowing before hand that an area is relatively free of mosquitoes, and this may be accomplished preferably with a dispensing device that can be operated by remote control, for instance, using WIFI.